Dear Andy Muridzo
Compliments of the New Year to you Andrew “Andy Muridzo” Ngwenya.
I write this letter to you after figuring out that you have placed yourself among the “big boys”, who for some unknown reason play hard to get and refuse to grant one-on-one interviews to the media, which is where I would have given you the advice contained in this letter. Anyway, I hope you will take time off your eventful life to read it.
I realise that last year was not good to you when one looks at the steady ascendency route your career had taken in the past 12 months.
Had it not been for the love scandal with Beverly “Bev” Sibanda and for other wrong reasons, I am sure it would have easily passed as a dry year for you in the media.
But you are no stranger to controversy because a few years ago when music fans started hearing your name, it was because of the curious similarity of your music to that of Jah Prayzah, hence the copycat tag which has been stuck to your back.
You had no ounce of regret being called a counterfeit of your “homeboy”, but instead, you owned it like a boss and you are thriving on it.
To your benefit, it got people interested in knowing more about you and at the peak of it even triggered comparison of you to your mentor, or “dad”, to quote your words.
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Many people, myself included, still wonder why you went on to join your pseudo dad’s camp under the Military Touch Movement (MTM) banner when you could have easily climbed the success ladder on your own.
Have you not heard the African proverb that “Two bulls cannot stay in one kraal”, or are you content with being a follower till time stands still?
In fact, your being swallowed, guised as a joint venture has, in my view, brought more harm than good to your promising brand. not that I am an expert in good business strategies.
But, if you remove the blinkers, you will see that to leave a visible mark in this industry, you ought to be your own man. Until when will you live under someone’s wings?
If you were a listener of good advice, which I assume you are not given your adamancy to stay at MTM despite criticism, sungura kingpin Alick Macheso would tell you better about how he left Senior Lecturer Nicholas Zakaria and the Khiama Boys at a time they had made strides together in the game.
He did so for progress and had he not done so, he would have remained a talented bassist under Zakaria with no discography of his own or flourishing name to talk of.
But your case Andy is both sad and infuriating because you have overwhelming potential, but instead of freeing yourself from Jah Prayzah’s shadow, you continue to run straight into his pocket.
With a little common sense applied, by now you may have noticed that of all the other members in the MTM group, you are the only one not benefitting much. Of course I heard you now drive a Mercedes Benz, but there is more to life than that E-class.
ExQ is releasing hot videos that are playing on regional television channels and he even collaborated with a Kenyan artist. the same can be said for Nutty O, who apart from epic fails at live shows has had a fair share of good videos and foreign collaborations.
If you are not careful, even songstress Tahle WeDzinza will overtake you in the not too distant future.
All you have to date are collaborations with Charma Gal, who JP last collaborated with almost a decade ago. excuse the hyperbole but i hope you get the point.
It is also you Andy who, after releasing the Tichambotenderera album, seems to have done the merry-go-around to the same position.
This is why at your live shows you still either sing songs like Dherira from two years ago or resort to Jamaican cover songs not by choice, but because you have no new hits!
JP is doing fairly well, but the lucky charm does not seem to be rubbing off on you. rather, you appear up to speed with JP’s ugly side of bad omens.
When he is accused of infidelity, the same happens to you; he lost key band members last year and just this week, I heard your “officers” have started sabotaging your shows. For crying out loud, when Jah Prayzah was chased away from the graveyard by bouncers last year, it only took a few days for schoolkids to do the same to you in Banket for appearing late at a show.
Surely, the gods must be crazy if they continue to show you more signs that the murky route you are taking leads to detriment.
Last week I got to listen to the new single you released titled I’m Feeling Brand New where you talk about how you have reformed and are ready to pursue a better future.
I have always thought you have a great voice for dancehall/reggae, and the song confirms this and with such potential, you could be headed for greater heights if you ever bother taking advice.
Also, taking a cue from your lyrics on the tune, it is my hope that you have reflected on such friendships which could permanently distract you from your means of survival.
Ultimately, I would say in the boat called life, you are the captain and also, it is quite refreshing to see how well you are doing with your family given your social media posts. But you need to take charge on your career.
Seeing pictures of your newly-born son and that of Mai Keketso for who you reportedly paid lobola, even though you allegedly used your band members’ unpaid allowances to do so, is very inspiring and shows you are capable of making socially laudable decisions that you can extend to your music side.
Yours respectfully,
Kennedy Nyavaya
